Worksite Physical Activity Success Story:
Mississippi
Making Impactful Changes with an Eye Toward the
Future
WORKSITE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
IN MISSISSIPPI: OVERVIEW
for wellness and physical activities. Agencies have
participated in a number of worksite physical
activity initiatives, including walking and fitness
challenges.
Obesity and obesity-related illnesses are
arguably the biggest public health crises facing
Mississippi, which now has the highest adult
1
obesity rate in the nation at 35.1 percent. This is
a significant increase in the state’s obesity rate;
in 1990, the rate was only 15 percent. Further, 36
percent of adults in Mississippi do not
participate in regular physical activity, with only
40 percent meeting the standard of 150 minutes
2
per week.
This success story will focus specifically on the
work being done by employees within the
Department of Health (DOH) Office of Preventive
Health, which oversees worksite wellness
implementation within the entire DOH. Information
shared by the Mississippi Gaming Commission and
the Library Commission is also included.
With the help of motivated wellness champions
and leaders, as well as enthusiastic staff who are
eager to improve their health and fitness,
Mississippi will continue to build on the momentum
of their current success by rolling out additional
evidence based strategies to bring worksite
physical activity to more people in Mississippi
agencies.
State legislators in Mississippi decided to
proactively address the obesity crisis by
improving worksite wellness for state employees,
resulting in the State Employee Wellness
Program.
In 2010, Mississippi enacted state legislation that
required all state agencies (n=95) to participate
in worksite wellness. Using the CDC Workplace
3
Health Promotion Model , agencies were
provided instructions and tools to implement a
wellness plan, including strategies to increase
employees’ physical fitness.
SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
STATE POLICY
Mississippi Senate Bill 2646 is a 2010 act that
authorizes the creation of a model state employee
wellness program, including a designated
statewide Wellness Coordinator at the Mississippi
State DOH and the development of a wellness
4
council at each participating state agency.
Though funding is not provided as part of the
mandate, all agencies receive relevant technical
With the help of the Workplace Health
Promotion Model as a guide, participating
agencies in Mississippi identified staff champions
1
http://stateofobesity.org/states/ms/
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/pa_state_indicator_report_
2014.pdf
3
CDC Workplace Health Promotion Model Training
2
4
Mississippi State Agencies Employee Wellness Programs
assistance and training—in fact, wellness
champions participate in quarterly trainings and
webinars, and are asked to participate in
monitoring and evaluation plans. Agencies
implement their strategies using the CDC
Workplace Health Promotion Model, providing a
framework for worksite wellness strategic plan
development, engagement methods,
measurement and evaluation, and strategies for
the application of the Center for Disease Control
5
and Prevention (CDC’s) Promising Practices.
Evaluation data is collected annually via the CDC
Worksite Health ScoreCard. Information is
organized and disseminated by onsite
champions.
The requisite wellness champion is responsible
for convening their worksite committee-comprised of staff volunteers--and wellness
plans for their agencies. Wellness plans are
reviewed by the Division Director for Worksite
Wellness within the Mississippi State DOH Office
of Preventive Health before being sent to the
CDC.
Lastly, the mandate encourages employees to
participate in two to three hours of worksite
wellness activities per month.
MOTIVATING MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi’s State and School Employees Health
Insurance Plan’s wellness and preventative
health program, “Motivating Mississippi-Keys to
6
Living Healthy,” is part of the insurance package
offered to all state employees. The program is
administered through ActiveHealth Management
(AHS).
To implement the Motivating Mississippi
program, AHS employs onsite wellness coaches
that provide resources and learning
opportunities. They also offer digital coaching,
weight management programs, and onsite
wellness coaching.
USER PERSPECTIVE
Some Mississippi agencies are encouraging their
employees to move regularly in a number of
creative ways.
WALKING CHALLENGE
The Mississippi State DOH partnered with 5
Points Benefits, Inc., based in Tennessee, who
provided pedometers to 50 employees within
the health department. Department of Health
employees used the pedometers to participate in
an eight-week walking challenge in an effort to
increase their overall steps and encourage more
movement throughout the day. Though it was a
relatively short amount of time, one interviewee
indicated that they noticed positive change in
employee behavior even after the challenge was
over.
5
CDC's Promising Practices
http://knowyourbenefits.dfa.state.ms.us/MotivatingMississippi.html
6
“"[By] the end of the challenge, I started noticing
some results [that] I did not anticipate. Employees
had taken it upon themselves [to utilize] the
walking paths more frequently on their 15-minute
breaks.”
An additional walking challenge had an even larger
reach. The program targeted seven state agencies
with a total of 150 participants. Each participating
agency received training on basic components of
th
physical activity prior to the October 20 start
date. Weekly lifestyle and condition management
educational tools were also provided to the
agencies. Three of the seven targeted agencies
completed pre- and post-biometric screenings for
blood pressure and weight. At the end of the
challenge data showed that the program resulted
in a 3 percent reduction in weight, a total of 154
pounds lost, and a 4 percent reduction in systolic
and diastolic blood pressure.
FITNESS CHALLENGES
In fall 2014, employees at Mississippi’s Gaming
Commission participated in a fitness challenge that
was open to everyone in their agency. Those who
wished to participate were asked to first undergo
an eight-week training period, requiring
participants to dedicate their time outside of work
to the challenge.
A total of 45 gaming commission employees
committed to and participated in the group
challenge which included running and various
strength activities.
“It was a great time in which […] people really
liked the camaraderieand it promoted a wellness
culture in the agency..”
Due to the success of the fall challenge, a similar
challenge was repeated in the spring. User
feedback was incorporated in the spring challenge,
including making the challenge easier and more
accessible to a larger audience. Additionally the
strength training portion was modified and the
running was decreased.
FITNESS EQUIPMENT
The Mississippi Department of Human Services
(MDHS) received funding from the Mississippi
Beverage Association to create an onsite gym
facility for their employees. Employees were able
to take advantage of the gym on their breaks,
during their lunch hour, and before and after
business hours.
could be improved.
The survey found that among state employees:
• Over 30% indicated that they rarely
participate in wellness activities at their
workplace;
• Greater than 40% contributed nonparticipation in wellness activities at their
workplace to lack of time; and
• Over 90% identified that the type of
employee wellness activities they would like
to participate in is physical activity/exercise.
Some Mississippi wellness leaders are building
relationships with local gyms. Specifically, some
state agencies have developed agreements with
gyms such as the Young Men's Christian
Association (YMCA) or Anytime Fitness to
receive discounts. An example of a discount is a
10 percent decrease in the monthly rate and the
waiving of the process fee. Efforts are underway
to centralize discounts for all state agencies.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Worksite physical activity is implemented in
informal ways as well. Some agencies capitalize
on monthly “lunch and learns” by bringing in a
yoga or kickboxing instructor to lead classes free
of charge. Other agencies organize group 5K
walks/runs.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
PARTNERING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES
Many, if not most, of Mississippi’s wellness
champions are human resources (HR) employees.
Since HR employees receive an inconsistent
amount of training on health wellness and
promotion, it is recognized as an important
training opportunity for the DOH. Efforts are
being made to strengthen the relationship
between the personnel board and DOH in hopes
to provide HR managers information about the
State Employee Wellness Program at their
trainings. To accomplish this, a reputable wellness
leader attended three HR trainings provided by
the state personnel board, and intends to
continue to foster the relationship in the future.
USING DATA TO ENACT CHANGE
In 2014, the University of Mississippi conducted
an evaluation of the state worksite wellness
mandate. Participants included state employees,
wellness champions, and agency directors and
leadership. The evaluation was intended to help
wellness leaders within the DOH understand
which approaches were effective and which ones
Wellness leaders within the DOH intend to use this
data to help inform the future structure of worksite
wellness in Mississippi. For example, efforts are
being made to engage leaders from all agencies to
support and promote state employee health.
CLUSTER GROUPS
Another potential future direction for Mississippi’s
worksite wellness initiative is the use of cluster
groups, including partnering organizations that are
located close to each other (e.g., all state agency
buildings located in Jackson) to coordinate physical
activity with one another. Cluster groups are
becoming increasingly popular in Jackson; for
example, state legislators recently gathered nearby
agencies in the city for “Shape Up at the Capitol,” a
four-hour event featuring different exercise routines
for participants every 30 minutes.
Cross-agency collaboration is seen as likely to
boost morale, increasing a sense of friendly
competition while also providing opportunities to
forge new relationships.
FACILTATORS & BARRIERS
FACILITATORS
State Mandate
The state mandate has provided the structure,
tools, and resources for state agencies to enact
workplace wellness and physical fitness programs
within their organizations. It also provides for
ongoing collaboration for both the State
Employee Wellness Program and the Motivating
Mississippi program to educate employees on
health and fitness related resources.
Motivated Leaders
Employees at the Division of Nutrition, Physical
Activity, and Obesity team and other leadership
staff at the DOH are motivated and optimistic
about the future of worksite physical activity in
the state. Additionally, some wellness champions
have been working particularly hard to bring
worksite physical activity to their organization,
seeking opportunities through AHS and the
motivation and interests of their staff.
External Collaborations
Mississippi has been able to collaborate with
organizations such as the Mississippi Business
Group on Health and 5 Points Benefits, Inc. to
help facilitate physical activity projects. These
partnerships allow for fresh perspectives and
tend to boost staff morale.
BARRIERS
Inconsistency
Some state agencies are more invested in
worksite physical activity than others, based on
their worksite wellness champion and the
organizational structure/staff buy-in. Since there
isn’t significant oversight for the worksite
wellness mandate, there has been inconsistency
from agency to agency in terms of participation.
Workplace Culture
Sustainable worksite physical activity success is
largely contingent on a supportive culture,
including both leadership and staff buy-in. One
interviewee explained that though they were
eager to find opportunities to exercise in the
workplace, they didn’t feel that their coworkers
would be interested in participating.
Staff Turnover
The wellness champion position has seen
significant turnover, another barrier within
establishing a workplace culture for physical
activity. In order to create and sustain a culture of
wellness and physical activity, an interviewee
explained that it is helpful to have a consistent
champion that understands the history and
culture of the organization leading the charge.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Interviewees were asked to share recommendations
they had for organizations hoping to implement
similar worksite physical activity initiatives,
including the following.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on small changes first.
Ensure that events accommodate all levels
of users (those new to fitness and those that
are already physically fit).
Avoid discouragement as a result of low
participation.
Work with what you have (e.g., the Gaming
Commission identified a half-mile walking
path outside of the building for employees
to take advantage of during breaks).
Centralize resources for agencies to create
onsite fitness centers, onsite physical
activities, and listings of local resources.
Train supervisors and leaders on how to
support and promote physical activities in
the workplace.
CONCLUSION
Mississippi state agencies have been implementing
physical activity in a number of creative ways.
Though implementation of the statewide mandate
varies across the state, there are new evidencebased strategies on the horizon. Through the
combined efforts of wellness champions,
leadership, state-provided technical assistance,
and motivated employees, Mississippi has and will
continue to embrace physical activity in the
workplace in exciting, innovative ways.
For more information on worksite physical activity in
Mississippi’s Department of Health please contact:
Mississippi State Department of HealthOffice of Preventive Health
State Employee Wellness Program
Post Office Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39216-1700
601-206-1559
www.HealthyMS.com
This publication was made possible by support from the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO),
Physical Activity and Health Branch in CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
(NCCDPHP), through Cooperative Agreement Number U38OT00020. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors
and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About the National Network of Public Health Institutes
Created in 2001 as a forum for public health institutes (PHIs), today the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI)
convenes its members and partners at the local, state, and national levels in efforts to address critical health issues. NNPHI’s
mission is to support national public health system initiatives and strengthen PHIs to promote multi-sector activities resulting in
measurable improvements of public health structures, systems, and outcomes. Learn more at www.nnphi.org.
UTAH WORKSITE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SUCCESS STORY
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